Gold Spins Gem to Lead Isotopes Past Aces, 8-4

Albuquerque, NM – It was a golden Thursday night in the Duke City. Albuquerque Isotopes starting pitcher Brandon Gold spun six outstanding frames of two-hit scoreless baseball, while Coco Montes and Alan Trejo each homered and drove in four runs, leading their team to an 8-4 victory over the Reno Aces.

Albuquerque (49-58) loaded the bases with one out in the first inning for Coco Montes, who doubled home two runs on a liner that just stayed fair down the first-base line. Alan Trejo then connected on a three-run homer to left, his 10th long ball at Triple-A in 2022.

Gold was in control throughout, retiring the first eight batters he faced before allowing back-to-back singles with two outs in the third. He then proceeded to set down his final 10 hitters, which got him through his six frames. Gold did not walk or hit a batter and struck out two.

Aces starter Drey Jameson settled into a groove himself, retiring nine consecutive batters from the second through the fourth. He ended up going seven innings, allowing six runs on eight hits.

Reno (61-47) made things somewhat tense by plating three runs off PJ Poulin in the seventh, on a Wilmer Difo two-run clout and Dominic Miroglio RBI double. In the eighth, Jancarlos Cintron lined a solo homer against Julian Fernández.

The Isotopes pushed across insurance runs in the eighth inning when Montes crushed a two-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center, his 16th long ball of the season.

Topes Scope: - Gold completed six innings without giving up a run or walk for the first time since June 1, 2019 with Double-A Hartford at Bowie.

- The Isotopes produced their biggest first inning (five runs) since scoring five in the opening frame on June 28, 2021 vs. Tacoma. It was the 13th time they have plated five in a frame this season, and first since the fifth inning on July 27 vs. Las Vegas.

- Albuquerque reached 30 home wins in their 51st game at Isotopes Park this season, their fastest to 30 triumphs at home since achieving it in the 45th home game of the 2012 campaign.

- Montes tallied his 22nd multi-hit game at Triple-A, and eighth contest with three knocks. He drove in four or more runs for the fourth time as an Isotope.

- Montes and Trejo were the first set of Albuquerque tributes to tally four RBI each in a game since Wynton Bernard and Trejo on July 24 vs. Sugar Land.

- Michael Toglia was 2-for-4 with a double and is now 4-for-11 over his first three games as an Isotope.

- Poulin allowed his most runs in an outing since giving up three in 1.0 inning for High-A Spokane vs. Tri-City on June 29, 2021; a span of 57 appearances.

- Fernández has allowed runs in consecutive outings for the first time since May 26-31, a span of three appearances in a row in which he was scored upon.

- Topes starting pitchers went two consecutive games without issuing a walk (Ashton Goudeau last night) for the first time since Goudeau and Riley Smith on June 3-4 at Sugar Land.

- Jameson tied a season-high for an opposing starter by going pitching 7.0 innings. It had happened two other times, Jake Kalish on May 18 at Salt Lake and Collin Wiles on June 24 at Las Vegas.

- Justin Lawrence has 10 consecutive scoreless appearances at Triple-A, tying Chad Smith and Zach Lee for the most by an Isotope this year.

- 49 of 88 outs recorded by Lawrence recorded for Albuquerque this year have been via the strikeout.

- Tonight’s game lasted just two hours and 10 minutes, tied for the eighth-quickest nine-inning contest in Isotopes Park history after Tuesday’s series opener took 2:04 to complete.

On Deck: The Mariachis take on Los Corazones de Reno tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Gates open at 5:00 for an Al Hurricane Jr. pregame concert on the right-field berm, to take place from 5:45-6:20. Mariachis Bobbleheads featuring Al Hurricane Sr. will be given to the first 3,000 fans, courtesy of Pepsi. There will also be post-game fireworks, weather permitting. Right-handed pitcher Karl Kauffmann is slated to start for Albuquerque against Reno right-hander Corbin Martin.